Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Materials Science and Engineering Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Physical Sciences and Mathematics (660)
- Mechanical Engineering (642)
- Structural Materials (608)
- Environmental Sciences (597)
- Sustainability (586)
-
- Mining Engineering (584)
- Oil, Gas, and Energy (583)
- Energy Systems (582)
- Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment (580)
- Environmental Monitoring (580)
- Chemical Engineering (211)
- Polymer and Organic Materials (51)
- Chemistry (39)
- Metallurgy (36)
- Other Materials Science and Engineering (34)
- Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (33)
- Semiconductor and Optical Materials (32)
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (24)
- Medicine and Health Sciences (24)
- Physics (24)
- Life Sciences (23)
- Manufacturing (22)
- Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering (17)
- Ceramic Materials (17)
- Engineering Science and Materials (16)
- Polymer Science (16)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering (15)
- Materials Chemistry (15)
- Keyword
-
- Gas (249)
- And Energy; Structural Materials; Sustainability (248)
- Energy Systems; Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment; Environmental Monitoring; Mining Engineering; Oil (248)
- Microstructure (9)
- Method (8)
-
- Nanoporous (8)
- Catalysis (7)
- Lithium-ion batteries (7)
- Mechanical properties (7)
- Synthesis (7)
- Membranes (6)
- Nanoindentation (6)
- Nanoparticles (6)
- Silicon (6)
- Titania (6)
- Apparatus (5)
- Carbon fiber (5)
- Carbon nanotubes (5)
- Characterization (5)
- Drug delivery (5)
- Electrodes (5)
- Hydrogel (5)
- Indentation (5)
- Iridates (5)
- Lignin (5)
- Lithium ion batteries (5)
- Polymer (5)
- Single crystals (5)
- 3D printing (4)
- Additive Manufacturing (4)
- Publication Year
- Publication
-
- World of Coal Ash Proceedings (580)
- Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications (126)
- Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering (98)
- Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Patents (34)
- Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (26)
-
- Chemistry Faculty Publications (14)
- Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications (14)
- University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations (11)
- Center for Advanced Materials Faculty Publications (10)
- Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications (8)
- Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry (8)
- Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing Faculty Publications (7)
- Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty Patents (6)
- Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications (5)
- Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering (5)
- Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering (4)
- Theses and Dissertations--Physics and Astronomy (4)
- UK CARES Faculty Publications (4)
- KWRRI Research Reports (3)
- Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications (3)
- Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering (3)
- Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications (2)
- Commonwealth Computational Summit (2)
- Institute of Research for Technology Development Faculty Publications (2)
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications (2)
- Progress in Scale Modeling, an International Journal (2)
- Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (2)
- Theses and Dissertations--Manufacturing Systems Engineering (2)
- Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications (1)
- Center of Membrane Sciences Faculty Publications (1)
- Publication Type
- File Type
Articles 91 - 120 of 1003
Full-Text Articles in Materials Science and Engineering
Lessons Learned From Managing Ash Pond Closure Waters, Danny Stephens, Tom Geeza, Phil Benson, Ashwin Ranna
Lessons Learned From Managing Ash Pond Closure Waters, Danny Stephens, Tom Geeza, Phil Benson, Ashwin Ranna
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
The water management issues created by ash pond closure are complex and can create technology selection and operational management challenges. Ash dewatering activities produce highly variable effluents, depending on ash composition, aging, and dewatering and stormwater management techniques. Effluent limitations can also be highly variable, depending upon the size of the receiving body and the anticipated composition of the effluent stream. The user often faces competing risks: installing an unnecessarily complex and expensive treatment plant, being limited on closure activities by limitations in water treatment capabilities, or both. This paper presents several lessons learned from assessing ash closure water management …
Epri Ccp Beneficiation Research Update, Benjamin Gallagher, Patrick Webb
Epri Ccp Beneficiation Research Update, Benjamin Gallagher, Patrick Webb
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Coal combustion products (CCPs) are frequently utilized as supplementary materials in cement and concrete manufacturing. With an estimated 2 billion metric tons stored in repositories across the United States, interest in beneficial use has expanded beyond class F fly ash to include ponded and high-LOI ash. Beneficiation provides a critical pathway for managing CCP repositories, particularly under closure-by-removal strategies, and where ash sources have historically been difficult to process. Research conducted at EPRI’s Ash Beneficial Use Center (ABUC) examines the feasibility of processing these ash types into usable products and offers insights into repository variability and classification. Furthermore, the study …
Risk Evaluation Of Small Coal Combustion Residual Management Unit (Ccrmu) Fills, Andrew Bittner, John Kondziolka, Qian Zhang, Masoud Arshadi
Risk Evaluation Of Small Coal Combustion Residual Management Unit (Ccrmu) Fills, Andrew Bittner, John Kondziolka, Qian Zhang, Masoud Arshadi
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
US EPA expanded the scope of CCR regulations in 2024 to areas of historical CCR placement not regulated under the 2015 CCR rule, including CCR used as fill. US EPA presented new risk analyses specific to CCRMU fills and defined different regulations for CCRMU fills from 1 to 1,000 tons, noting uncertainty as to whether there was a size of CCRMU fill below which acceptable risks could be expected. This research fills US EPA's stated data gap by modeling and analyzing impacts from small CCRMU fills. Modeling was conducted using the same methods, models, and most of the same inputs …
Investigating The Performance Of Processed Stockpile Fly Ash For Low Carbon Concrete, Michael Mccarthy, Arfas Habeeb, Laszlo Csetenyi, Roderick Jones
Investigating The Performance Of Processed Stockpile Fly Ash For Low Carbon Concrete, Michael Mccarthy, Arfas Habeeb, Laszlo Csetenyi, Roderick Jones
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Reducing embodied carbon in concrete has increasingly focused on clinker substitution through the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). However, the local availability of fly ash, a widely used SCM in the UK, offering benefits in this role, has reduced over the past decade, as coal-fired electricity generating plants have gradually been taken out of service. Attention has, therefore, increasingly focused on fly ash from stockpile and landfill sites to maintain supply, i.e., material not used following production and put into storage. Most UK fly ash originated from the burning of bituminous coal, producing low-lime siliceous material, which although undergoing …
Solar Solution For Closed Ccr Units And Adjacent Land, Chris Fairey
Solar Solution For Closed Ccr Units And Adjacent Land, Chris Fairey
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Solar Solution for Closed CCR Units and Adjacent Land Chris Fairey1, Kenny Hughes1 1Watershed Geo, 1125 Sanctuary Pkwy, Suite 180, Alpharetta, GA 30009 KEYWORDS: Solar, Racking, Brownfield, Greenfield, Slopes, PowerCap® ABSTRACT With the reduction in coal fired power generation, there is a consistent trend in the industry to supplement generation with solar power. The property located within and surrounding these decommissioned power plants offers a significant opportunity to create a renewable solar power asset. The PowerCap® Nail to Rail System, developed by Watershed Geo, is an advanced solar racking solution designed for sites that do not require environmental closure such …
Abundances Of Elements In Global Coals, Shifeng Dai
Abundances Of Elements In Global Coals, Shifeng Dai
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
The abundance of elements in coal is important not only because it provides a solid scientific and practical foundation for various geochemical comparisons, but also because it helps address broader questions in Earth Sciences. In this study, data on major and trace elements in global coals comprising hundreds of thousands of coal samples were compiled from peer-reviewed journal articles, books, various databases, dissertations, and technical reports. These data formed the basis for estimating element abundances in global coals presented in this study. All collected data were rigorously screened for reliability, and any records with questionable quality were excluded from the …
Consolidation Modeling To Support Closure Planning Of An Upstream Raise Ccr Surface Impoundment Containing Fgd Material, Tanya Walkenbach, Craig Schuettpelz, Todd Stong, Shane Stockdill
Consolidation Modeling To Support Closure Planning Of An Upstream Raise Ccr Surface Impoundment Containing Fgd Material, Tanya Walkenbach, Craig Schuettpelz, Todd Stong, Shane Stockdill
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Rainbow Energy Center’s (REC’s) Coal Creek Station has managed calcium sulfite flue gas desulfurization (FGD) material in composite-lined upstream raise surface impoundments since 2001. The upstream raise surface impoundment utilizes bottom ash (drainage zone) and fly ash (structural zone) produced at Coal Creek Station to contain the FGD placement. FGD material was hydraulically sluiced to the center of the 110-acre Upstream Raise 92 (UR92) coal combustion residual (CCR) unit between 2001 and 2021. The FGD was deposited to a maximum thickness of approximately 100 feet in the center of the unit. Significant consolidation of FGD material occurred with subsequent FGD …
Investigation Of A Historical Coal Combustion Residuals Management Unit (Ccrmu), Todd Stong, Shane Stockdill, Erin Hunter
Investigation Of A Historical Coal Combustion Residuals Management Unit (Ccrmu), Todd Stong, Shane Stockdill, Erin Hunter
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Rainbow Energy Center’s (REC’s) Coal Creek Station has managed coal combustion residuals (CCR) in various engineered impoundments and landfills since plant operation began in 1978. Since then, waste containment methods have evolved resulting in significant changes to their CCR management practice. In the late 1980s and early 1990s REC closed several existing CCR units with natural soil liners and constructed several new CCR units with composite liner systems. One of the closed units was an area now referred to as North Section 16, an impoundment that received CCR including bottom ash, fly ash, and flue gas desulfurization material. North Section …
Transportation Logistics Panel, John Ward, Andrew Vollmer, Tracy Zea, Marci Jenks
Transportation Logistics Panel, John Ward, Andrew Vollmer, Tracy Zea, Marci Jenks
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
As the industry shifts from freshly generated ash to harvested materials and advanced utilization, logistics is becoming one of the primary drivers of project success or failure. This moderated panel will explore how sourcing, transportation, and storage realities are changing — and what project teams most often underestimate when working with harvested coal ash. Panelists will discuss what breaks, what becomes more complex, and how logistics considerations are reshaping planning and development.
Optimization Of Remedial Strategies For Ccr Site Corrective Action Through Advanced Geochemical Modeling, Cole Mayer, Pj Nolan
Optimization Of Remedial Strategies For Ccr Site Corrective Action Through Advanced Geochemical Modeling, Cole Mayer, Pj Nolan
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
The power industry is actively designing and implementing corrective measures for Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR). In many cases, these measures include active remedies such as pump and treat, in-situ injection, or reactive barriers, all of which demand a thorough understanding of the underlying geochemical system. Depending on the geochemical characteristics of an aquifer, different chemical reagents can achieve varying degrees of success or even be detrimental to the remediation of the site. Advanced geochemical modeling is an invaluable tool for developing a remedy that is optimized to the site-specific geological, hydrological, and geochemical environment. In the case study presented here, …
Application Of Stable Isotopes In An Alternative Source Demonstration, Alison O'Connor
Application Of Stable Isotopes In An Alternative Source Demonstration, Alison O'Connor
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Stable isotope analysis is commonly used in age dating, provenance studies and to differentiate between sources of groundwater. Multiple studies have shown that strontium and boron isotopic ratios can be successfully used in identifying CCR impacts to groundwater. This talk presents an applied case study using boron and strontium isotopes in conjunction with additional geochemical approaches in an alternative source demonstration. Boron and strontium isotopes were measured in both groundwater and CCR leachate over sampling events from 2019 to 2025. The data revealed that strontium and boron isotopic signatures in groundwater near the CCR unit differed significantly from both site-specific …
Distinguishing Ccp From Nuclear Impacts In Groundwater, Lea Millet
Distinguishing Ccp From Nuclear Impacts In Groundwater, Lea Millet
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
As the energy transition from fossil fuels to other generation technologies continues, many companies worldwide are evaluating the feasibility of constructing nuclear power plants at sites previously used for coal-powered generation. Thermal power plant sites offer advantages for siting nuclear generation such as proximity to cooling water and grid connections; however existing impacts to groundwater from coal combustion product (CCP) management units may confound monitoring programs designed to detect impacts from nuclear operations. For example, boron and lithium may be present in waters associated with CCP management and nuclear power plant operations, and potassium that often has concentrations above background …
Ccr Landfill Closure Challenges, Solutions And Innovation, Jay Mokotoff, Drew Browning, Steve Applegate
Ccr Landfill Closure Challenges, Solutions And Innovation, Jay Mokotoff, Drew Browning, Steve Applegate
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
CCR landfills can present unique design and construction challenges for the industry when closing these units at the end of their life. In comparison to CCR surface impoundments, CCR landfills typically have greater flexibility under the CCR Rule for operations and beneficial use purposes and may not have defined closure dates which results in some of these closures extending further into the future. However, as coal burning plants continue to shudder, the closure of these landfills is rapidly approaching. This presentation will focus on the challenging site conditions, site specific considerations and potential solutions when designing and constructing the landfill …
Engineering Granulometry To Optimize Performance Of Reclaimed Ash, Russell Hill
Engineering Granulometry To Optimize Performance Of Reclaimed Ash, Russell Hill
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
As utility production of fresh fly ash declines, the concrete industry is turning to reclaimed and beneficiated materials to maintain reliable SCM supply. This transition creates an opportunity not only to secure volumes but to engineer improved performance. The ReCinis™ beneficiation process enables this by providing controls that tune particle-size distribution (PSD), sphericity, packing behavior, surface area, and surface activation. Processing trials show that blends combining fine ground fractions with spherical, broad-graded hydrocyclone overflow (OF) materials can balance high reactivity with favorable rheology. Mechanochemical activation during grinding appears to increase reactivity beyond what surface-area metrics alone predict, likely through removal …
Alternative Cover Permitting And The Ccr Rule, Evan Andrews, Victor Damasceno
Alternative Cover Permitting And The Ccr Rule, Evan Andrews, Victor Damasceno
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Federal rules (40 CFR Parts 9, 257 and 261) that regulate coal combustion residuals (CCR) created a significant demand associated with closure of coal ash management and storage facilities using liner systems. Timelines associated with these facility closures combined with substantial project scale and potential for future mining /reuse has driven the need for closure systems that perform beyond the prescriptive soil / geomembrane caps outlined in the federal regulations. As outlined in section 257.102 (d)(3)(i) of the CCR Rule, the standard cover system must include an infiltration layer of at least 18 inches of earthen material and an erosion …
Sustainability And Waste Diversion At Tva Shawnee "Project Phoenix", Bryan Jacob, Shane Harris
Sustainability And Waste Diversion At Tva Shawnee "Project Phoenix", Bryan Jacob, Shane Harris
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
An engineered turf closure system can serve as an ideal foundation for a solar energy system to be installed atop coal combustion residual (CCR) impoundments. This approach not only enables productive power generation during the post-closure period, it also preserves opportunities for recovery and beneficial use of CCR material in the future. “Project Phoenix” at TVA’s Shawnee Fossil Plant offers an illustrative example. This paper will cover the sustainability benefits of the companion ClosureTurf® and PowerCap® systems installed at that site as well as waste diversion activities undertaken during construction to recycle as much as practical and minimize waste destined …
Demystifying Large Language Models: How Ai Is Transforming Data, Compliance, And Decision-Making In Coal Ash And Environmental Management, Scott Pfeiffer
Demystifying Large Language Models: How Ai Is Transforming Data, Compliance, And Decision-Making In Coal Ash And Environmental Management, Scott Pfeiffer
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
The environmental and coal combustion residuals (CCR) industries generate vast amounts of information—from groundwater monitoring reports and RCRA documentation to closure plans and analytical data. Managing, interpreting, and communicating this information is a growing challenge for utilities, regulators, and consultants alike. Large Language Models (LLMs), such as OpenAI’s GPT architecture, represent a breakthrough in how organizations can interact with their technical data. These models use deep neural networks trained on billions of words to understand, summarize, and generate language with human-like accuracy. When securely adapted for enterprise use, LLMs can automate routine reporting, extract data from technical documents, generate regulatory …
Expert Perspectives On The U.S. Coal Combustion Products Market – Now, Then, And The Future, Mark Rokoff, David Cox, Walter Lemaire, John Ward
Expert Perspectives On The U.S. Coal Combustion Products Market – Now, Then, And The Future, Mark Rokoff, David Cox, Walter Lemaire, John Ward
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
This panel discussion will explore the continued evolution of the U.S. coal combustion products market, with a focus on the impacts of dynamic regulatory and market forces. Invited expert panelists will share perspectives on developments over the past several years (building on discussions from WOCA 2022 and WOCA 2024), current conditions, and expected future trends—particularly those likely to shape the market between 2026 and 2030. The discussion will address the interrelated markets for engineering, construction, and beneficiation of ash from both operating and inactive plants. Panelists will offer perspectives relevant to the full coal ash industry, from owner/operator organizations to …
Subsurface Delineation Of Coal Combustion Residuals Using Multiple Geophysical Methods, Eric Hageman, Adam Rak, Thomas Jordan, Kate Mckinley
Subsurface Delineation Of Coal Combustion Residuals Using Multiple Geophysical Methods, Eric Hageman, Adam Rak, Thomas Jordan, Kate Mckinley
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Geophysical techniques provide alternative methods of Coal Combustion Residual (CCR) delineation and characterization to supplement more invasive boring programs used for beneficial reuse planning. A demonstration project was designed to characterize the electromagnetic and seismic stratigraphy of CCR material and test the effectiveness of three geophysical techniques: Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI), Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) induction, and Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Wave (MASW). The demonstration project was completed at a dry-stack CCR unit containing a variety of CCR ash, gypsum, and thin layers of drainage aggregate (limestone). During a single-day deployment, several geophysical survey tests were conducted in specific areas of …
Charge‐Governed Mechanistic Evaluation Of Aav2 Clarification Via Functionalized Flat Sheet And Hollow Fiber Deconstructed Depth Filters, Mara Baughman‐Leach, Mattie Brock, Malgorzata Chwatko, Dibakar Bhattacharyya
Charge‐Governed Mechanistic Evaluation Of Aav2 Clarification Via Functionalized Flat Sheet And Hollow Fiber Deconstructed Depth Filters, Mara Baughman‐Leach, Mattie Brock, Malgorzata Chwatko, Dibakar Bhattacharyya
Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications
The expansion of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based therapeutics has increased the demand for efficient clarification. In this study, a functionalized deconstructed depth filtration platform was developed to dissect how membrane–virus charge, modulated by pH, influences separation. Three charge regimes, positive (pH 4), neutral (pH 6), and negative (pH 8) between the membranes and AAVs, were examined. The flat-sheet system, composed of sequential 1.2, 0.8, 0.45, and 0.1 µm membranes, enabled the first layer-by-layer analysis of depth filtration behavior. This revealed that Stage 1 and Stage 4 dominate clarification. Remarkably, substantial DNA capture (> 75%) was observed even in the largest-pore stage, …
Creep-Recovery Behavior Of Copper Springs At Low Stresses, Ming-Yen Tsai, Shou-Yi Chang, Yi-Chia Chou, Jyun-Lin Hu, Yulin Zhang, Fuqian Yang, Sanboh Lee
Creep-Recovery Behavior Of Copper Springs At Low Stresses, Ming-Yen Tsai, Shou-Yi Chang, Yi-Chia Chou, Jyun-Lin Hu, Yulin Zhang, Fuqian Yang, Sanboh Lee
Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications
Copper springs, unlike conventional wires, endure complex stress states such as torsion and bending under sustained thermal and mechanical loads. This study examines the time-dependent creep-recovery behavior of copper springs under low tensile forces at temperatures ranging from 523 K to 623 K, focusing on springs with spring indexes (ratio of mean spring diameter to wire diameter) of 6.4, 8.5, and 9.6. The non-linear Burgers model with a Kelvin solid effectively captures the deformation response and mirrors dislocation nucleation and annihilation kinetics. SEM and TEM imaging reveal that low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) act as both dislocation sources and sinks. The …
Field-Assisted Post-Processing Of Cold-Sprayed Pure Copper, Alan Hensley
Field-Assisted Post-Processing Of Cold-Sprayed Pure Copper, Alan Hensley
Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
The properties of materials processed through cold spray, and many other AM processes, are non-uniform and unpredictable. In most cases, post-processing is required to achieve desired properties and better uniformity. In cold spray, the typical method is an annealing heat treatment (AHT), which can improve bond strength, reduce porosity, and restore ductility, among other effects. AHT alone, however, is unable to completely remedy any of the unfavorable properties. In addition, long treatments at high temperatures are often needed for satisfactory results. This increases energy consumption and extends production times for products made by the process. For these reasons, numerous investigations …
Discovering Naturally Occurring Antifreeze Peptides From Microbiome By Integrating Protein Language Models And Molecular Dynamics Simulation, Ibrahim A. Imam, Trevor Morey, Yuexu Jiang, Duolin Wang, Dong Xu, Qing Shao
Discovering Naturally Occurring Antifreeze Peptides From Microbiome By Integrating Protein Language Models And Molecular Dynamics Simulation, Ibrahim A. Imam, Trevor Morey, Yuexu Jiang, Duolin Wang, Dong Xu, Qing Shao
Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications
Antifreeze peptides inhibit ice crystal growth and recrystallization, and are promising components of cryoprotective formulations for cell, tissue, and food preservation, as well as anti-icing surface coatings. However, the discovery of new antifreeze peptides has been hindered by their sequence diversity and the limited scalability of experimental screening. In this study, we identify novel antifreeze peptide candidates from a microbiome-derived sequence library using ensemble machine learning and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We developed an ensemble classifier composed of 10 adapter-tuned protein-language models and a random forest meta-learner. After training on a curated dataset of 73 766 sequences, we applied this …
Effect Of Protective Mutation On Structure And Dynamics Of Apoe: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study, Newton A. Ihoeghian, Usman L. Abass, Ibrahim A. Imam, Qing Shao
Effect Of Protective Mutation On Structure And Dynamics Of Apoe: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study, Newton A. Ihoeghian, Usman L. Abass, Ibrahim A. Imam, Qing Shao
Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications
Apolipoprotein E (APOE) plays a significant role in determining the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Three mutations—APOE3–R136S, APOE3–V236E, and APOE4–R251G—have been reported to reduce the risk of AD. Unveiling the molecular mechanism behind this reduction could lay a foundation for developing therapeutics for AD. To shed light on this subject, we investigate the mutation-induced variation in structural and dynamic properties of APOE3–R136S, APOE3–V236E, and APOE4–R251G in explicit solvent using molecular dynamics simulations. The APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4 were used as the reference. The analysis unveiled that the three protective mutations may exert protection through different mechanisms. The R215G mutation makes …
Tiny Plastic, Big Trouble: How Polystyrene Nanoparticles Impact Dna-Damage Repair Deficient Cervical Cancer Cells, Jordan D. Berezowitz, Mira C. Fish, Lauren E. Mehanna, Breanna Knicely, Claire E. Rowlands, Eva M. Goellner, Brittany E. Givens
Tiny Plastic, Big Trouble: How Polystyrene Nanoparticles Impact Dna-Damage Repair Deficient Cervical Cancer Cells, Jordan D. Berezowitz, Mira C. Fish, Lauren E. Mehanna, Breanna Knicely, Claire E. Rowlands, Eva M. Goellner, Brittany E. Givens
Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications
Microplastics are becoming increasingly abundant waste products; therefore, the risk of human exposure is also increasing. The cytotoxic consequences of microplastic exposure, particularly in cancer, have yet to be explored. We obtained commercially available polystyrene nanoparticles of uniform size (86.61 ± 6.41 nm) and confirmed the chemical composition and shape using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. We evaluated colloidal stability over a range of concentrations from 1–1000 µg mL−1 using hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential, determining that higher concentrations exhibit greater colloidal stability compared to lower concentrations. Specifically, the zeta potential increased from …
Eco-Friendly Solvent-Based Fabrication Of Single-Layer And Polydopamine-Modified Bilayer Pvdf-Hfp Membranes, Eesh M. Kulshrestha
Eco-Friendly Solvent-Based Fabrication Of Single-Layer And Polydopamine-Modified Bilayer Pvdf-Hfp Membranes, Eesh M. Kulshrestha
Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering
The growing global demand for clean drinking water has intensified the need for advanced water treatment technologies capable of efficiently removing contaminants while maintaining environmental sustainability. Polymeric membrane systems have emerged as an effective approach for water separations due to their high separation efficiency, simplicity, and adaptability to a wide range of water treatment applications. However, traditional membrane fabrication processes often rely on toxic organic solvents, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and diemethylacetamide (DMAc), which pose environmental and health risks. These concerns have led to an increase in regulatory restrictions, primarily through the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) …
Aqueous Synthesis Of Luminescent Semiconductors For Opto-Electronic Applications, Saurabh Singh
Aqueous Synthesis Of Luminescent Semiconductors For Opto-Electronic Applications, Saurabh Singh
Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering
The advancement of opto-electronic and scintillation technologies relies heavily on developing low-temperature, eco-friendly, and scalable synthesis routes for high performance luminescent halide-based semiconductor materials. However, traditional synthesis methods for halide-based semiconductors, including hot-injection, solvothermal, solid-state reactions, Ligand-Assisted Reprecipitation (LARP), microwave-assisted synthesis, and thin film deposition techniques (spin coating, physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etc.), often demand toxic organic/inorganic solvents, elevated processing temperatures, and high vacuum/inert environments. Such constraints limit their scalability, raise environmental concerns, and impede their commercial-level device integration. This research overcomes these long-standing challenges by employing water as a powerful crystallization-directing, and environmentally benign medium …
Utilizing Coal For Mesophase Pitch-Based Carbon Fiber Production: Precursors, Processes, And Progress, Christina M. Thompson
Utilizing Coal For Mesophase Pitch-Based Carbon Fiber Production: Precursors, Processes, And Progress, Christina M. Thompson
Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry
Graphitic materials possess unique properties due to the unique combination of layered crystalline structure and carbon’s low atomic weight. High performance carbon fiber is one such example, displaying exceptional strength-to-weight ratios, stiffness, and thermal and chemical resistance. These properties render high performance carbon fiber a critical structural reinforcement material in the manufacture of composites across various industries, such as for automotive and aerospace applications. However, balancing fiber performance with precursor and processing costs remains a challenge. As alternative carbonaceous feedstocks are explored, coal has gained interest for utilization in graphitic products as a relatively abundant and low-cost source of aromatic …
Multi-Scale Computational Mechanical Modeling Of Complex Multi-Phase Materials Systems, Naji Al-Mashrafi
Multi-Scale Computational Mechanical Modeling Of Complex Multi-Phase Materials Systems, Naji Al-Mashrafi
Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering
This thesis employs finite-element–based computational methods to investigate how microstructural features and material heterogeneity govern mechanical behavior across three distinct complex systems. First, the elastic response of open-cell metallic foams is analyzed using large ensembles of model RVEs generated with the Kentucky Random Structures Toolkit (KRaSTk); finite-element homogenization reveals that effective stiffness is not dictated by relative density alone, as the skewness of ligament-length distributions—captured by the second Pearson’s coefficient—exerts a strong and previously unrecognized influence, with structures enriched in short load-bearing ligaments exhibiting consistently higher stiffness even at fixed density and connectivity. The second study examines heterogeneous polycrystalline solids …
A Pyrrole Modified 3,4-Propylenedioxythiophene Conjugated Polymer As Hole Transport Layer For Efficient And Stable Perovskite Solar Cells, Yuanhao Tang, Ke Ma, Wenhao Shao, Yoon Ho Lee, Ashkan Abtahi, Jiaonan Sun, Hanjun Yang, Aidan H. Coffey, Harindi R. Atapattu, Mustafa Ahmed, Qixuan Hu, Wenzhan Xu, Raunak Dani, Limei Wang, Chenhui Zhu, Kenneth R. Graham, Jianguo Mei, Letian Dou
A Pyrrole Modified 3,4-Propylenedioxythiophene Conjugated Polymer As Hole Transport Layer For Efficient And Stable Perovskite Solar Cells, Yuanhao Tang, Ke Ma, Wenhao Shao, Yoon Ho Lee, Ashkan Abtahi, Jiaonan Sun, Hanjun Yang, Aidan H. Coffey, Harindi R. Atapattu, Mustafa Ahmed, Qixuan Hu, Wenzhan Xu, Raunak Dani, Limei Wang, Chenhui Zhu, Kenneth R. Graham, Jianguo Mei, Letian Dou
Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications
Despite the outstanding electric properties and cost-effectiveness of poly- (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and its derivatives, their performance as hole transport layer (HTL) materials in conventional perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has lagged behind that of widely used spirobifluorene-based molecules or poly(triaryl amine). This gap is mainly from their poor solubility and energy alignment mismatch. In this work, the design and synthesis of a pyrrole-modified HTL (PPr) based on 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene (ProDOT) are presented for efficient and stable PSCs. As a result of the superior defects passivation ability, excellent contact with perovskite, enhanced hole extraction, and high hydrophobicity, the unencapsulated PPr-based PSCs showed the …